


His Regrets

by Pan (Lucky_Cassandra)



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Angst, Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:42:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22308118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucky_Cassandra/pseuds/Pan
Summary: The Hero's Shade comes to being, driven by a need to fulfill what he knew he should have done sooner. But the flow of time is cruel, and he knows this better than anyone.He doesn't understand how he didn't see this coming.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 121





	His Regrets

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Okami_no_fude](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okami_no_fude/gifts).



> I have been thinking way to much about the Hero's Shade.
> 
> Instead of letting my wonderful beta reader actually read this beforehand, I am going to make this into a surprise.

He had tried, but probably not enough. He knew he should have tried harder to tell people what had happened and why it was important to remember all this, but he liked anonymity better. He _liked_ that no one knew who he was. 

He had his family, small but wonderful. Malon and their daughters were the light of his life, and he sometimes felt his heart would burst from the happiness they gave him. So what did it matter if he put off these dark thoughts of curses and strife and dark magic and endless cycles off for another time. 

Oh, he knew he didn't have all the time in the world. He knew time better than anyone. And he also felt his duty to this kingdom, to _this world_ , keenly, but he thought he could wait just a little bit longer and have some peace and happiness in this life. He thought he deserved it. 

But then his end had come a lot sooner than he thought, and yet a lot later than he expected. Fighting, alone, away from home. How stinking typical.

And of course he had bitterly regretted not being able to get back to Malon, to their two amazing girls, but he knew they were strong and would survive.

The land of Hyrule? He wasn't so sure.

And now it was too late, and he hadn't managed to pass on to anyone what he knew about this cycle that would definitely repeat itself, and the skills needed to stop it yet again. Because his cycle had not really happened, hadn't it? So no one listened, no one believed, no one learned. 

Because he hadn't tried hard enough. 

Well, he would wait. He would wait as long as needed, until he was needed. Until the next hero showed up to fight this curse once more, as he knew would happen.

Of course, he hadn't forgotten his adventure from years before. How could he forget? He had often looked on them, all holding the hero's spirit, all strong and courageous and selfless. He had been proud of every single one of them, and it didn't matter that he only had daughters, because in his heart he already had eight sons. He knew they were all capable, determined, strong. But he also knew there had been others. Other heroes who had failed, and not because they were less capable or hadn't tried just as hard, but maybe because they hadn't received what they needed to succeed.

So he waited. The time would come. 

Everything felt different in this form, so when he felt the power shift in the land, darkness spread, magic stir, he didn't know how but he knew the time had come. He didn't know where in time and space he was, because it didn't matter to this form. He went in search of the hero he knew would appear, and he followed his golden light from afar until they could finally meet.

And when they finally did, it was so obvious he didn't understand how he hadn't seen it coming. He was glad this form needed no air, he was glad he didn't have eyes to cry with, he was glad his voice couldn't tremble. It took every fragment of his willpower to stand as he should, tall and proud, when all he wanted was to fall to his knees and cry.

Because right in front of him stood a very young Twilight. His protegè, his Pup, his _son_. Still unaware of what he would face, but already with that determined look on his face.

 _Damn Hylia above_ , had his Pup known the whole time? This form was still wearing his armour. Had he carried the burden of this knowledge through their whole adventure together? That thought was so painful he actually wondered if this form had a heart that could break, because it felt like it would.

But then again… he could _be useful _to his Pup. Thinking back, he had noticed that some of the sword techniques Twilight used _had_ looked terribly familiar. So… he could help. With everything he had left. And also, just _seeing_ Twi again brought a sweetness, a relief, like a breath he hadn't know he had been holding. It would have been all worth it just to see him again, but to actually help…__

__"A sword holds no strength unless the hand that wields it has courage.“_ _


End file.
